Telstra open to Foxtel Group sale, profit drops 12.8%
Telstra CEO Vicki Brady has cautioned that News Corp's decision making around selling Foxtel, of which the telco owns 35 per cent, was in its early stages.
Economy, Business and Finance
Airport scrutiny follows ‘inside job’ helicopter crash
Security of airports remains in focus after a "misappropriated" chopper crashed into a CBD hotel, with one aviation expert saying a review would be worthwhile.
‘I couldn’t get away’: calls for total gambling ad ban
Constant exposure to advertising is changing Australians' relationship with sport and a former addict has called for a total ban on gambling ads.
Feeling the cold? Study shows newer homes are more cosy
Apartments and houses built in the last decade are more energy efficient and easier to cool or heat, a CSIRO study has revealed.
Popular utes score bad marks in real-world vehicle test
Some popular utes use more petrol and produce more pollution than lab tests promise, according to a motoring body, and could cost drivers more than expected.
Shareholders still cash in as CBA profit slips to $9.5b
Commonwealth Bank's net profit after tax was down six per cent to $9.5 billion in 2023/24 but Australia's biggest bank is increasing its dividend.
Profits plummet at Kerry Stokes’ Seven West Media
As Seven West Media contends with allegations of a toxic workplace culture at its television network, profits plunge 69 per cent to $45 million.
Safety fears delay 3G closure, users urged to upgrade
Telstra and Optus have delayed the 3G closure to launch a massive public safety campaign, after fears phones, alarms and medical equipment could be cut off.
Property market picking up in smaller capital cities
REA Group's CEO says property listings in Melbourne and Sydney might marginally decline in 2024/25, but Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth are showing growth.
PM rules out foreign nuclear waste under new AUKUS deal
Australia will accept nuclear technology from the US and UK as part of an updated AUKUS deal, but Anthony Albanese says nuclear waste won't be part of it.
Conservationist fears for ancient, namesake frog
Logging continues in a small patch of NSW where a rare frog lives despite the species being listed as endangered under both federal and state laws.
Senator, insurer clash over cyclone ‘price-gouging’
A major insurer has been accused of making big profits during natural diasters at an inquiry into the impacts of climate change on the insurance sector.
‘Distressing’ mental health facility claims spark probe
The Queensland government has launched an investigation after "distressing" allegations of abuse spanning decades at a former mental health facility.
Racing boss hits out at ‘cheats’ in racecourse fight
Racing NSW CEO Peter V'landys has attacked "cheats and undesirables" seeking to undermine him amid a battle over the future of Sydney's Rosehill racecourse.
Buyers hover as administrators plot course to save Rex
Embattled Rex has received significant interest from potential buyers, administrators say, as the regional carrier battles to stay in the air.
Pressure builds for gambling ad ban
As Australians continue to lose more to gambling than any other country in the world, pressure is mounting on both sides of politics to reform the sector.
Homes of endangered greater gliders face logging threat
A conservation group is urging the Queensland government to protect land with greater glider habitat after logging near a site where the species has been seen.
Wages, job data in focus for clues on economy, rates
New data on wage growth and demand for workers will be in focus this week, as borrowers await clues on when the central bank might cut interest rates.
Timber industry battles shift to man-made power poles
The timber industry has stepped up its fight against the phase out of wooden power poles in NSW - a move designed to make the network more fire resilient.
Solar power guiding NT families back to their community
After a solar-powered energy system was installed in a remote Northern Territory community, families will be able to return to their homeland.
Govt claims native title case creates ‘vast’ liability
The federal government has started its appeal of a native title case around a mining lease, arguing it would create "vast" claims for compensation.
Scientists despair as farmers clear nature hot spot
Scientists say one of Australia's most valuable biodiversity hot spots is in danger of death by a thousand cuts as pastoralists clear the landscape unchecked.
Vast native title risks ‘speculative’, High Court told
An Indigenous land rights case is being brought to "redress past wrongs", a lawyer for the Gumatj Clan has told High Court justices.
RBA governor pours cold water on talk of early rate cut
The central bank says inflation remains too high and warned it could hike again, keeping the spotlight on government efforts to fight inflation.
New battery crackdown after 50 blazes this year
E-bikes and e-scooters will have to meet new battery standards in coming months in one state, after a spate of difficult-to-contain fires.
Joyce ‘command and control’ ends with Qantas clawback
Alan Joyce has had millions in shares clawed back by Qantas, the airline he led for almost 15 years, after a turbulent nosedive into a reputational crisis.
Property giant Mirvac warns of ‘challenging’ conditions
Mirvac is investing in build-to-rent apartments and industrial sites as it slashes the value of high-rise offices and warns of ongoing challenging conditions.
Transurban eyes raising dividend as toll traffic rises
Transurban says it expects to raise its 2024/25 distribution by five per cent, after making $2.6 billion in operating earnings in 2023/24.
Insurers leaving flood-prone communities high and dry
Regional councils at risk from flooding have revealed the impact of rising insurance costs on their communities at a Senate hearing.
Hit the brakes: taxes could slow hybrid vehicle sales
Cuts to transport emissions could slow down next year unless the government extends its tax cuts for plug-in hybrid cars, an inquiry has been told.
Insurance prices blowing away cyclone-prone communities
Regional councils at risk from cyclones will reveal the impact of rising insurance costs on their communities at a Senate hearing.